Upshoots

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A sudden or rapid growth or development, often in a surprising direction
2. New shoots or growths that emerge from a plant or structure after a period of dormancy
3. An unexpected increase or surge in a specific area, usually signifying progress or advancement

Etymology: "Upshoots" is the plural of "upshoot," a noun formed from the adverb-particle "up" and the verb "shoot." The base verb "shoot" carries the sense of something springing forth quickly, as a plant sends up a new stem, and "up" intensifies that upward, sudden motion. The compound thus pictures growth that breaks out and rises all at once. Its current sense of a sharp, unexpected surge in some particular area grows naturally from that image. A sudden rise in activity or fortune is pictured as a shoot pushing up from the ground, which is why the term tends to carry a note of promise. The plural form simply denotes several such surges, each one a separate burst of rising growth.

Synonyms: offspring, progeny, descendants